Ofure Akhigbe
The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of two travellers, while one person escaped, following an attack by suspected bandits along the Sanlu–Idofin road in Yagba East Local Government Area of the state.
The confirmation was given late on Saturday by the command’s spokesman, Chief Superintendent of Police, William Aya, in response to enquiries by journalists over the incident, which reportedly occurred in the afternoon.
According to him, three persons were travelling in a car between Idofin and Isanlu when they were attacked.
“Three people were attacked in a car while on transit between Idofin and Isanlu. One person, identified as Raji Adesukanmi, escaped, while two others were kidnapped,” Aya said.
He added that the Commissioner of Police had deployed a tactical team comprising the Quick Response Unit, Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Police Mobile Force to the area to ensure the victims are rescued unhurt.
The incident adds to a series of kidnapping cases reported along the axis linking Kogi to parts of Kwara State and other North-Central states.
The abduction came a day after the Nigerian Army confirmed the rescue of five kidnapped victims on the same axis by troops of the 12 Brigade in two swift operations around the Isanlu–Egbe area of Yagba East Local Government Area on November 29, 2025.
In a statement, the Army said the operations followed two separate kidnap incidents in which four civilians were abducted in the first attack and one in the second at a nearby location.
“Upon receiving the distress reports, troops immediately mobilised to both scenes and engaged the kidnappers with superior firepower. The aggressive response forced the bandits to flee in disarray, abandoning all five victims, who were rescued unharmed,” the statement read.
The Brigade reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Kogi State under the leadership of Brigadier General Kasim Sidi.
“Troops remain vigilant and will continue to dominate the area with robust patrols to deny criminal elements any freedom of action,” the statement added.